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Cleaning the idle air control valve saved my car from stalling

My car would die every time I came to a stop. I looked at the spark plugs and fuel system first, but they were fine. I thought about the idle air control valve and found it was gunked up. A quick clean with carb spray fixed the issue completely. Now it idles perfectly without any hiccups.
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3 Comments
sandra_coleman
Of course the fix was a ten dollar can of spray instead of a huge mechanic bill. They always want to replace the whole dang thing first.
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webb.daniel
Yep, the 'replace the whole dang thing' mindset is real. I had a squeaky belt that a mechanic said needed replacing, but some spray (you know, the cheap stuff) quieted it down for ages.
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laura_ward
That mechanic mindset pops up everywhere, not just in auto shops. Try getting a phone fixed and see how fast they push for a full replacement. @sandra_coleman is right about the urge to replace the whole dang thing first. It's like a default setting for any repair job now. Probably because a new part costs more than a quick spray and a prayer.
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